Photo Credit: Sean T. Brodfuehrer
January 26 – February 2, 2020
Weekly Activities
Sunday, January 26 following the 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Birthday Blessing in church; Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall, hosted by the Ladies Sodality
Wednesday, January 29 from 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m. ~ NEW HOURS ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall (Food Pantry operates every Wednesday from Noon-2pm)
Thursday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.*
Saturday, February 1 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.*
*To check the Bonus Ball and Progressive Share-the-Wealth carry over amounts and Progressive numbers for this week, click HERE and visit our Facebook page.
Mass Intentions
Sunday, January 26 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal Joy for John LoTempio (Requested by Bud and Mickey Dick)
Monday, January 27 ~ St. Angela Merici ~ No Service
Tuesday, January 28 ~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. ~ Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Wednesday, January 29 ~ Day of Prayer for Protection of the Unborn ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Thursday, January 30 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – St. Vincent; St. Marianne Cope ~ Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Friday, January 31 ~ St. John Bosco ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, February 1 ~ Mass at 4:30 p.m. – The Conversion of St. Paul ~ Eternal Rest for John Dick (John E. Curtin)
Sunday, February 2 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Blessings for Rudy Sass and Catherine (Bob and Mary Kresse) and In Thanksgiving (Sr. Ann Helene, OSF)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, February 1 & 2, 2020:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: Lorna Cameron; Eucharistic Minister: John Curtin
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Maggie Gatson, Grace Iheke; Eucharistic Ministers: Fran Cahill, Toni Maus, Fidelia Ejimadu; Choir – Sharon Dunnigan
News from our Parish Community
A Special Birthday Blessing for everyone born during the month of January will take after Mass this Sunday, January 26. You are invited to continue the birthday celebration at coffee hour in St. Charles Hall, hosted by members of our Ladies Sodality.
Second Collections ~ There are two envelopes for the second collection on the weekend of February 1/2. One is sponsored by the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for the support of the Church in Central and Eastern Europe. the other is the the Catholic League for Religious Assistance to Poland. Please give generously.
Advent/Christmas Giving Tree ~ We are happy to report that our Blessed Trinity Parishioners contributed a total of $940 to our annual Advent /Christmas Giving Tree. “Western New York Family Promise” extends grateful appreciation to all who so graciously gave monetary contributions and gift cards. Family Promise is in the process of expanding to help meet the needs of homeless families. Our contributions will assist many throughout the year as they transition to more permanent housing. Please know that your desire to be of help is making a real difference to many local people! A heartfelt thank you to all of you!
Personal Prayer Requests ~ We are continuing the practice started during the Christmas season of remembering your personal prayer requests at daily Masses. Just write them out and place your prayer petitions in the basket on the communion rail in front of the baptismal font. There is no need to provide your name. Your intentions will be remembered at Masses throughout the week.
Members of the Ladies Sodality are reminded that January means membership renewal. Dues for 2020 will remain at $5.00 and are being collected by Vice President, Mickey Dick. She will be happy to accept them in person, or you may mail your check payable to “Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity” to her c/o the church. (If you don’t want to write a check for such a small amount, make it $10 and she will credit you for 2021 – even if there is a dues increase). Life membership status begins at age 80 and no dues are required. You may use the renewal form reprinted in the bulletin or the “Contact Form” below to submit your name, mailing address, email address (if you check it daily) for time-sensitive member notifications, preferred phone number, and date of birth (just month & day). If you are not a member but would like to know more about the Sodality, please contact Mickey (716-832-2540) or President Vera Andrew (716-704-2944). Our first meeting of 2020 is scheduled for Sunday, March 1.
A Prayer for the New Year ~ As we continue in this New Year 2020, we rely in the grace of God and his protection. Let Us Pray …
Lord, open our eyes that we may see you in our brothers and sisters.
Lord, open our ears that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, and the oppressed.
Lord, open our hearts that we may love each other as you love us.
Renew in us your Spirit. Lord, free us and make us one. Amen.
Congratulations to lector Miles James who was a 2020 recipient of a Dr. Martin Luther King Scholarship. The scholarship was awarded at the January 19, 2020 diocesan Mass honoring Dr. Martin Luther King.
Anything But Ordinary, Part II ~ Last week, we began using a new Mass setting, the Mass of St. Frances Cabrini, composed by Kevin Keil in 2007.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born as Maria Francesca Cabrini on July 15, 1850 in Sant’ Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardy, Italy. She was born two months premature and the youngest of thirteen children. Unfortunately, only three of her siblings survived past adolescence and Frances would live most of her life in a fragile and delicate state of health.
She became dedicated to living a life for religious work from a young age and received a convent education at a school run by the Daughters of the Sacred Heart. She graduated with high honors and a teaching certificate. When Frances was 18, she applied for admission to the religious congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, but was turned down because of her poor health. Instead, a priest asked her to teach at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadagono, Italy. She taught at the girls’ school for six years and drew a community of women in to live the religious way of life.
In 1877, she became Mother Cabrini after she finally made her vows and took the religious habit, also adding Xavier to her name in honor of St. Francis Xavier. When the House of Providence Orphanage closed, her bishop asked her, along with six other women from her orphanage in Cadagono, to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for the poor children in both schools and hospitals. Frances composed the Rule and Constitution for the religious institute. In its first five years, the institute established seven homes and a free school and nursery. Frances wanted to continue her mission in China, but Pope Leo XIII urged her to go to the United States, a nation that was becoming flooded with Italian immigrants who needed her help. “Not to the East, but the West,” was his advice to her.
On March 31, 1889, Frances arrived in New York City along with six other sisters ready to begin her new journey. However, right from the beginning she encountered many disappointments and hardships. The house originally attended for her new orphanage was no longer available, but Frances did not give up, even though the archbishop insisted she return to Italy. Housing was found with the convent of the Sisters of Charity. Frances then received permission to found an orphanage in what is now West Park, New York and now known as Saint Cabrini Home.
Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, Frances founded 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals, within 35 years dedicated to caring for the poor, uneducated, sick, abandoned, and especially for the Italian immigrants. Her institutions were spread out in places all over the United States, including New York, Colorado, and Illinois. She became a naturalized citizen of the US in 1909.
Frances was known for being as resourceful as she was prayerful. She was always able to find people to donate their money, time, and support for her institutions. Frances has two miracles attributed to her. She restored sight to a child who was believed to have been blinded by excess silver nitrate, and she healed a terminally ill member of her congregation.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was beatified on November 13, 1938, by Pope Pius XI and canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 7, 1946, making her the first United States citizen to be canonized. Her feast day is celebrated on November 13 and she is the patron saint of immigrants.
The Choir will be asking the intercession of St. Frances Cabrini as we try to find ways to raise money to restore the organ at Blessed Trinity. What a great example of the attitude we need to overcome financial adversity and reclaim our beautiful heritage.
Did you know Blessed Trinity Church has a congregation that supports Musical Ministry in Western New York? Join us up in the loft to help enhance our Liturgies – and feel the love. Choir practice resumes on Wednesday, February 5 at 7:00pm in St. Charles Hall. All are welcome to attend … Elizabeth
Please notify the Rectory Office with your current email address if you wish to receive a PDF version of the weekly church bulletin. You easiest way to do that is by using the contact feature at the bottom of this page.
Anyone interested in coordinating a prayer group, such as Pious Society, Sacred Heart, St. Jude, Altar Rosary, etc., please see Fr. Victor or email the church office at blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com.
Blessed Trinity Needs Your Help! We’re not asking for money, but for something maybe even more valuable: a little bit of your TIME. Just a bit. ONE or TWO nights a month that will really help your parish. Our most recent financial report shows the importance of BINGO. Clearly, this fundraiser is essential for our parish’s financial health. Just as clearly, it needs broad parish support in the way of MORE workers. We have Bingo every Thursday and Saturday night. Can you PLEASE commit to one or two nights a month? You can start simply by helping to sell things and — as you learn the routine — cross-train for other essential tasks. Our friendly team of workers stands ready to help you. Please contact Kathy Press at 716-445-8160 for more information. Your Parish Bingo Team thanks you!
Do you know that Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer? The Catechism of the Catholic Church reveals that “from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, [the Church] has honored with great respect the memory of the dead.” In its reference to the Second Vatican Council’s conclusion that “it is a wholly and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins,” the Catechism adds: “Our prayer for them is capable of not only helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.” Consider contacting the church office (716-833-0301) to request a Mass for yourself, your deceased loved ones, or for any intention. The stipend is $15.
Presentation of Offertory Gifts ~ For those who have requested a Mass and would like to present the Offertory gifts, please see Head Usher, Ed Marien, prior to Mass. This also applies to those whose family members are being remembered during the Liturgy.
Is it time to update your contact information? We know that not everyone can attend church every weekend, so when there is important information to be shared, we often mail it. If you have not received some of our recent mailings, please make sure that we have your correct contact information by completing this form. This is also a chance to let us know if you: wish to be included in our online email list, register as a parishioner, or request envelopes. You can also submit the requested information by phoning our secretary at 716-833-0301 any Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; sending an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or Clicking HERE to use the contact feature of our web site to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “Contact Update” as the subject of the email or message.
Home Visits ~ Please notify the church office if you know of aged, sick, or home bound parishioners who may wish to receive a visit and the Eucharist on the last Friday of each month.
Photo credit: Char Szabo-Perricell
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Chili Cook-off, Sunday, January 26 at 11:30am, St. Columba-Brigid Church (75 Hickory Street in Buffalo)…50/50 Money Tree Raffle (ticket purchase includes chance to win carwash/dinner package at Delta Sonic). Admission: $5 – children under 10 free. If you wish to enter your favorite chili in a crockpot, call the office at 716-852-3331.
Centennial Celebration, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Saturday, February 1, 7pm at the Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Rd., Buffalo, NY 14220. $25 includes beer, wine, pop, finger foods, and of course – birthday cake. Music will cover the decades from 1920 – 2020. Click HERE for tickets or call Barb Fitzgerald (716-208-7112) or Mary Lynn Gallagher (716-512-9382)
Meat Raffle, Saturday, February 1 at 7pm, sponsored by Holy Name Society of St. John Gualbert Parish at The Knights of Columbus Hall (2735 Union Road in Cheektowaga). Doors open at 6pm. Tickets: $10 ($8 in advance), includes water, pop, beer, snacks and pizza. No outside alcohol allowed. Meet provided by Market in the Square. Call Jane at 716-937-3531 or Sue at 716-684-0822
“Let’s Make a Deal” Theme Tray Event on Friday, February 7 at 7pm at Cardinal O’Hara High School (39 O’Hara Road in Tonawanda). Sponsored by the Home School Association. Doors open at 6:30 pm. 50/50 split and big ticket items will also be featured. Proceeds will help fund post-prom activities. For tickets, call 716-695-2600 or visit cardinalohara.com.
Americana-themed Wine Tasting & Craft Beer Tasting, Friday, February 7, 6-9pm at Assumption Church (435 Amherst Street in Buffalo). Wines crafted by O-Neh-Da and Eagle Crest Vineyards and Craft Beer from Try-It Distributing. Includes unlimited tasting and new American themed food pairings. Pull out your red, white and blue and join us for some fun and games of chance as well. Call 716-875-7626 for tickets and more information.
“The Venerable Nelson Baker—The True Story Behind the Life and Legacy of Father Baker,” on Monday, February 10, 7-8pm at Our Lady of Pompeii Parish (129 Laverack Avenue in Lancaster). Msgr. David LiPuma, pastor and rector of Our Lady of Victory Basilica will present this Faith Enrichment topic. All are welcome! Refreshments to follow program.
Seeking Volunteer Opportunity? The Station of the Cross Catholic Radio (6325 Sheridan Road in Williamsville) has a need for call-screeners for the Mother Miriam Live program that airs 10am-11am, and also volunteers for administrative duties (labeling, sorting/stuffing envelopes, addressing envelopes, etc.). Call Dana Mielke at 716-839-6114, ext. 105. Find out more at thestationofthecross.com.